The use of various types of apparatus for carrying a baby without the use of the parent's hands is well known. One of the more recent developments in this area is the backpack type of carrier. A seat is provided for the baby which is attached to a frame. The frame is fitted with straps and adapted to be carried on the back in a manner similar to a conventional backpack. These have enjoyed increasing popularity because of their convenience and the increased weight that can be carried and the time for which that weight can be carried. This type of baby carrier has made feasible extended walks and even off-road hiking while carrying a baby. It is becoming increasingly common for theses carriers to include a collapsible support stand which allows the carrier to be placed upright on the ground. This makes it possible to place the baby in the carrier and secure it while the stand is sitting upright; simplifies the process of donning the carrier; and allows the carrier to be used as a temporary seat.
As experience with the backpack form of baby carriers has accumulated, several problems have become apparent. Many of these problems are magnified for extended, off-road hikes. First, most carriers do not provide sun protection for the baby. The apparent assumption is that the baby's apparel will provide this protection.
Recent research has emphasized the importance of protecting babies and infants from sun exposure. Immediate effects of sunburn can include dehydration, fever, faintness, delirium, shock, dangerously low blood pressure, and irregular heart beat. Long term effects are also a serious concern. Early sun exposure increases the risk of skin cancer, wrinkles, and even cataracts in later life and the damage is cumulative, building with each sunburn or even each exposure. Research indicates that two or more blistering sunburns as a child or teen doubles the risk of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, later in life. These risks are compounded by the fact that baby's skin is thinner and will sunburn more easily than an adult's skin. Further, since babies can not communicate they can't tell a caregiver when they are getting too hot or beginning to sunburn. Where the baby is in a carrier on the caregiver's back, the caregiver may not notice the condition developing. Current recommendations include providing protective clothing including broad brimmed hats which shade the ears, nose, and lips; using sunscreen for babies over six months of age; and keeping babies under six months of age out of direct sunlight entirely. Protection is important even on overcast days, as damaging UV rays can penetrate light clouds and haze. See Sunproofing Your Baby, The Skin Cancer Foundation (1992); and Fun in the Sun: Keep Your Baby Safe, American Academy of Pediatrics (1995).
Second, no protection from insects is provided. This lack can become critical in natural settings where swarms of mosquitoes or flies, bees, hornets, ticks, or other stinging or biting insects may be encountered unexpectedly and avoidance is not an option.
Third, no protection from airborne debris is provided. Winds can pick up and propel leaves, needles, dirt, twigs and other debris with sufficient force to irritate or even injure an unprotected baby.
Fourth, backpack baby carriers are often designed to position the baby's head slightly above that of the adult carrying them. This provides them with an unrestricted view, and improves the weight distribution. However, this position also exposes the baby to the risk of possible impact with overhanging branches, rocks or other protrusions which the adult may not notice because they are above the adults head.
When the walking or hiking activity is taking place in warm or hot weather, it is also important that the baby be kept cool and that the carrier not overheat the adult who is carrying it.
Protection has been made available for backpack style baby carriers both by creating packs with integral covers and by providing supplemental covers which can be added to a carrier. U.S. Pat. No. 4,923,104 is typical of an integrated design. The design fully encloses the infant and provides a viewing panel so that the infant can see out. However, the design is not appropriate to warm weather use, much less hot weather. Little, if any, provision is made for ventilation. In warm, sunny weather, the infant would quickly overheat. The design also does not allow for the use of an internal frame structure, especially not one with an integral stand. The simple approach described could not retain a gap free enclosure while allowing the stand to be deployed. The design also does not provide for impact protection for the infant. While some protection is inherent, the structure has little resistance to laterally moving object, such as overhanging branches.
One design for providing supplemental protection for a baby in a backpack style carrier is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,333,591 to Case. This is a foul weather cover for a carrier which is designed primarily to provide protection against wind and rain. The design is essentially a sack which encloses both the carrier and the baby, utilizing a drawstring to cinch the upper end around the baby, leaving the head exposed. Because the cover closes around the baby, chafing or irritation could result from the contact. Slits are provided in the cover through which the shoulder and waist straps of the carrier can pass when in use. The lower end of the sack is wider than the top, allowing for the carrier's stand to be extended. This can result in a significant amount of loose material bunching around the lower end of the carrier when the stand is collapsed. Pockets are provided on the rear of the cover to hold various articles needed for the care of the baby. Significantly, the cover disclosed in Case does not fully enclose the baby. A separate hood is used to protect the baby's head, leaving a gap at the neck. No protection for the baby's face is disclosed. This lack of full enclosure makes the cover ineffective in protecting against insects or airborne debris. The cover is also inappropriate for fair weather or hot weather use. The water proof fabric would quickly result in overheating of the baby if in place during hot weather and possibly even during mild, sunny weather. No impact protection for the baby's head is provided.
There is a need for a cover for a backpack style baby carrier with an integral cover which provides protection for the baby from exposure to the sun, insects, and flying debris while maximizing the ventilation available to the baby and to the person carrying it. The cover should provide full enclosure with no paths through which either a crawling or flying insect can penetrate to reach the baby. The cover should not come into contact with the baby when in normal use, to prevent chafing or irritation. Preferably this cover would also provide impact protection against overhanging hazards such as tree branches. The cover should not interfere with the normal operation of the carrier, including the use of the collapsible stand. Preferably, the backpack should be sufficiently compact to conform to airline carry-on baggage size standards.